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An update from Herefordshire – Winter 2015

December 4, 2015 6:06 pm

Things have been busy for Helping Britain Blossom in Herefordshire, home to many traditional orchards. Our work here is focussed on helping improve access to, and involving communities in the restoration of mature orchards, as well as planting some new community orchards for good measure.

The summer was spent engaging with communities and enjoying activities across the county and we held a family summer picnic in beautiful traditional orchard Breinton Springs, found near the river Wye, with a travelling piano and apple juice courtesy of the wonderful Orchard Origins.

As harvest season arrived the brilliant group at the Goodrich Community Orchard had their hands full and held a fruit picking and pressing day, making perry, cider, jellies and jams. Look out for a feature on our website soon telling you all about this revived community orchard.

Herefordshire’s first official Helping Britain Blossom Orchard Leader training was held in October. We trained members of the community, our Orchard Leaders, in the skills to care for fruit trees and engage their wider communities.

Apple Day was celebrated at Hinton Community centre where we pressed fresh juice, with a supported learning group from Hereford and Ludlow College, and planned where to plant our future community orchard.

Now we look forward to a bumper weekend of planting!

As national tree week draws to a close this Saturday 5th December we’ll be planting a new community orchard at the Villa Street Community Garden as part of the Grow Your Own Community project, in partnership with Herefordshire Housing and Wildplay.

On Sunday 6th December we’re planting at Kington Park in Kington with the Kington Park Residents Association and KLEEN. We’ll be planting a damson avenue and an apple grove full of local variety apples including Worcester Pearmain, Stoke Edith Pippin and Tom Putt.

Head over to our Facebook page for photos of all the fun we’ve been having in Herefordshire.